The present invention relates to leveling mechanisms and more particularly to an adjustable leveling arrangement for enabling the placement of critical components required in support functions for patient surgery, for example heart surgery, and also in post operative care, at a precise position relative to a predetermined reference point, such as the right atrium of the patient.
In most instances of patient surgery and recovery apparatus is employed to accurately monitor the patient's blood pressure. Frequently atrial and/or arterial blood pressure monitoring is necessary, for example, through catherization techniques. Pressure-to-current transducers are usually employed in such monitoring.
In preparation of the pressure-to-current transducers for taking atrial and/or arterial blood pressures of a prone patient, the transducers must be positioned at the same level as some reference point, generally the right atrium. This point is marked on the chest of the patient. Heretofore, following the marking of the patient's chest, a carpenter's level bar or the like has been used to bring the transducers to that level, as mounted on a vertical stand.
Adjustment of the elevation of the transducers via this means is prone to error. Moreover, such a technique requires the use of bulky equipment, as the patient may be several feet away from the equipment stand on which the transducers are mounted. In addition, such means provide inherent equipment storage problems, such that the same is often not conveniently available when needed.